Family says farewell to Shelnelsy Swift, 6yr old who had renal failure

shelnelsy swift

Last October we brought you the story of Shelnelsy Swift who, at five years old, was a brave and vibrant little girl suffering from renal failure. Her fight started at age two; this year at age six, Shelnelsy had found a balance between school and her treatments. But tonight her family is preparing to say their final farewells after little Shelnelsy passed away on Tuesday. Her mother, Michelle Godoy, says she feels that her daughter had simply had enough suffering in her short life. News Five’s Delahnie Bain today sat down with Godoy, who spoke about Shelnelsy’s passing and shared fond memories of her little girl.

Delahnie Bain, Reporting

Shelnelsy Swift spent four years of her life battling renal failure. Over the years, she developed complications including hypertension and cholesterol, which limited her abilities, but never hindered her spirit. Shelnelsy was a familiar face at the K.H.M.H., but on Tuesday the pain, the trips to the hospital and the treatment ended as Shelnelsy passed away. Her mother, Michelle Godoy, says she died during surgery to remove some decayed teeth that had been troubling her.

Michelle Godoy, Shelnelsy’s Mother

“We were admitted into the hospital and she was supposed to do it on Thursday but when she took some blood tests it showed that the potassium was high. So the doctor and her nephrologist they treated her so that the potassium could go down so that she would be able to do the surgery. And on Monday—everyday she took some blood tests to show that the potassium is going down and Monday the doctor showed that it was okay, it was at five and she would have been able to do surgery on the teeth.  When she went in, she was just… she never… I guess she wasn’t strong enough.”

Godoy, who administered Shelnelsy’s dialysis treatments at home, says that up to end, Shelnelsy’s renal failure, was under control. They were, however, looking into other possible complications with her heart.

Michelle Godoy

“Everything was alright, her exchanges were okay. Shelnelsy was—I hadn’t noticed or even at the hospital we never saw nothing with the kidneys. She just went in to remove the teeth and that was it. but like sometimes I noticed like couple weeks ago, she was breathing hard and you can feel her heart beating a little fast. So when I took her to her pediatrician, Dr. Eck, he put her on to see the cardiologist so he could have checked on the heart to see how the heart is doing. So she was supposed to see the cardiologist on Wednesday but she passed away on the Tuesday.”

While it is never easy to let go of a loved one, Godoy takes comfort in knowing that her little girl is no longer in pain.

Michelle Godoy

“I have to be strong because I have the baby, I have a little boy too and she inna wah betta place now because sometimes she does seh mommy you noh know how I feel. And she just—I guess ih mussy mi tired and ih mussy seh yoh know what ih wah deh inna wah betta place and ih noh have to di deh bout and nobody really know weh ih di feel. Ih noh inna noh moh pain.”

Shelnelsy was known and loved by everyone she came in contact with and despite the pain she suffered in her life, she will always be remembered as that sweet little girl that touched many hearts.

Michelle Godoy

“Shelnelsy live, Shelnelsy outspoken, Shelnelsy she just mi sweet you know besides from ih complications; ih had problems. Shelnelsy was happy because she’s going in infant two and her little brother was going in infant one and Shelnelsy said mommy I wah tek care ah baby right and I seh okay and she can’t wait fi go dah school because all her friends, teacher, principal, everybody just know Shelnelsy and love Shelnelsy. Everybody just love Shelnelsy. She walk pan street and everybody seh hi and dehn hail ah. Shelnelsy had wah lot a people who really love her and help so she wah missed by everybody and she mi loved by all.”

And Godoy is grateful to all those people who loved Shelnelsy and supported the family through the toughest of times.

Michelle Godoy

“I just want seh thanks to everybody. I might not know yoh name or I might noh remember. Right now I can’t think off the bat everybody but I want thank Karl Heusner, all the doctors, the nurse. I want seh thanks to the Kidney Association, to Belize Diabetes Association, friends, family, everybody who just mi supportive—Shelnelsy friends.”

Funeral services for Shelnelsy will held at the Shiloh Seven Day Adventist Church at two p.m. on Sunday and a wake is planned for Saturday night to honour her memory. Delahnie Bain for News Five.

Along with her parents, Michelle Godoy and Stephen Swift, Shelnelsy also leaves behind a four year old brother and four grandparents.